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Sweet nossy Send a noteboard - 14/09/2009 10:09:21 PM
Over half of the books I own are non-fiction. When one walks into bookstores (if anyone does that anymore), fiction usually accounts for half to a bit less than half of the store. Sure, some of the books are self-help crap and how-to books, but there is a significant volume of histories, biographies, books on philosophy and political theory, books on current events and topics and books on world cultures and religions.

As noted by a recent guest, I have much more non-fiction than I had realized. I think they sneak into my book purchases, because I can't resist being intrigued, and whenever I read them, I travel off on tangents. Almost like wiki-jumping.

I think it is worthwhile to post a survey to start people talking more about non-fiction on this website as well. To me, reading fantasy and science fiction all the time is a bit like eating junk food or playing computer games - it's fun and entertaining, but when you're done and look back on the time spent you sometimes sit there and say, "What have I done?!"

I agree. I used to read a ton of dragonlance silliness, but I grew out of it. I still want the occasional cheeto, but I usually avoid.

1. Do you read non-fiction on a regular basis? If so, what do you typically read?

Yes. Whatever. History is addictive, but I tend to read more about philosophies.

- history

check

- biography

check, depending

- religion

definitely check. I love religious history

- world cultures

I would read more, I just don't own much yet.

- science and mathematics

science yes.

- political theory

yes.

- philosophy

check, check.

- art and architecture (including film and TV)

I studied some of this in college, and still have my books (art and arch)

- psychology

- literary criticism

3. What is your favorite work of non-fiction (please exclude religious/devotional works from this question)?

This is an amazingly difficult question to answer. I like the reading I've done on American Indians, as a group, and biblical history. I don't know if I can pick a certain book for either.

4. Would you be interested in reviews of non-fiction books on this site?

Yes.

5. Have you read any non-fiction book recently that was terrible? If so, what?

There is one that was not terrible (Young, on Vietnam), but I'm just really tired of finding so many books that are biased. It's put me off a little. I'd like to be able to read something objective so I could turn my cynic-o-meter off.

6. Was there a non-fiction book that you read that changed the way you thought or felt about world issues (again, please exclude religious and devotional works from this question) ?

You don't like him, I think, but when I read Fisk, I was surprised to find out how much we are not taught unless we take specific history in college. I've been on a bit of a personal quest to learn more since then.

7. Do you consider books about the occult to be non-fiction or fiction? Why?

Depends who wrote them. From very limited experience with them, I'd say that some people try to stick only to what they truly think they can support. Others go a bit crazy.

8. In your personal library at home, what percentage of your books are non-fiction?

25%. Maybe.

Reply to message
Non-Fiction survey Tom - 14/09/2009 05:38:04 PM 1313 Views
Heh. jh - 14/09/2009 05:58:59 PM 1029 Views
You associate non-fiction with work? Are you a non-fiction book reviewer by day? Tom - 14/09/2009 06:35:59 PM 853 Views
Nah... jh - 14/09/2009 06:56:41 PM 857 Views
I like non-fiction as long as it's not preachy. Darth_Katie - 14/09/2009 06:25:42 PM 1048 Views
So...Bill O'Reilly's out but Aleister Crowley is in, right? Tom - 14/09/2009 06:34:38 PM 918 Views
I didn't say I wanted to read occult books. Darth_Katie - 14/09/2009 09:40:40 PM 1454 Views
Fun. Legolas - 14/09/2009 06:31:28 PM 1125 Views
Machiavelli is a good case study for translation vs. original language Tom - 14/09/2009 06:48:46 PM 862 Views
Fact not fiction. Rebekah - 14/09/2009 06:43:32 PM 1051 Views
I loved Radzinsky's Rasputin bio Tom - 14/09/2009 06:58:46 PM 945 Views
Re: I loved Radzinsky's Rasputin bio Rebekah - 14/09/2009 07:10:01 PM 948 Views
You're going to force me to start a Dan Brown discussion in a different thread. Tom - 14/09/2009 09:00:32 PM 874 Views
Well, I can do it here, no worries, just think of it as non-non-fiction. jh - 14/09/2009 09:06:34 PM 930 Views
This is pretty much it. Rebekah - 14/09/2009 09:09:18 PM 921 Views
Re: Fact not fiction. Cockatiel of Doom - 17/09/2009 12:40:31 AM 963 Views
Re: Fact not fiction. Rebekah - 17/09/2009 03:08:34 PM 877 Views
Re: Fact not fiction. Cockatiel of Doom - 17/09/2009 11:57:22 PM 819 Views
Re: Non-Fiction survey mapthis - 14/09/2009 07:25:20 PM 865 Views
Legacy of Ashes sounds interesting Tom - 14/09/2009 08:59:38 PM 871 Views
Re: Legacy of Ashes sounds interesting mapthis - 14/09/2009 09:09:30 PM 889 Views
So nossy - 14/09/2009 10:14:47 PM 842 Views
Re: So mapthis - 14/09/2009 10:35:40 PM 830 Views
I do read sometimes. Craig - 14/09/2009 08:01:03 PM 1080 Views
If you liked Jesus, Interrupted... Tom - 14/09/2009 08:58:26 PM 942 Views
Added to The List. *NM* Craig - 14/09/2009 10:28:14 PM 385 Views
I read it quite a lot, obviously. Camilla - 14/09/2009 09:20:40 PM 980 Views
I have Antonia Fraser's bio of Oliver Cromwell. Tom - 15/09/2009 05:14:06 AM 896 Views
Re: I have Antonia Fraser's bio of Oliver Cromwell. Camilla - 15/09/2009 08:07:28 AM 946 Views
Re: Non-Fiction survey random thoughts - 14/09/2009 09:24:35 PM 1080 Views
I'd be interested to know the title of that Lincoln book. *NM* Tom - 15/09/2009 05:11:14 AM 420 Views
Tried by War by James M. McPherson random thoughts - 15/09/2009 07:01:30 PM 928 Views
Thanks! *NM* Tom - 17/09/2009 03:07:50 PM 423 Views
Re: Non-Fiction survey ranagrande - 14/09/2009 10:05:56 PM 860 Views
I'm sorry. I just can't take "pro wrestling" seriously enough to comment on it beyond this. *NM* Tom - 15/09/2009 05:15:13 AM 415 Views
What, pro wrestling is awesome! ranagrande - 16/09/2009 05:59:44 PM 1075 Views
Sweet nossy - 14/09/2009 10:09:21 PM 1022 Views
My problem with Fisk is his naivete Tom - 15/09/2009 05:10:00 AM 870 Views
If you're referring to the passages I think you're referring to... Legolas - 15/09/2009 11:06:04 AM 1005 Views
I need to read more American Indian books random thoughts - 16/09/2009 07:01:21 PM 857 Views
Good survey! smaug - 14/09/2009 11:40:58 PM 1029 Views
Ah...but where do you draw the line on the occult? Tom - 15/09/2009 05:07:14 AM 840 Views
Intent. Craig - 15/09/2009 06:02:39 AM 871 Views
Yea, I would tend to agree. smaug - 15/09/2009 11:10:03 AM 911 Views
Re: Non-Fiction survey Chas - 15/09/2009 12:25:57 AM 895 Views
You should consider reading more non-fiction. *NM* Tom - 15/09/2009 05:04:55 AM 443 Views
It's under consideration. Chas - 15/09/2009 11:50:47 PM 772 Views
I read a lot of it for my classes, so I read very little of it for leisure. Ghavrel - 15/09/2009 12:46:23 AM 1017 Views
As someone who read Ab Urbe Condita in Latin...the book you reference "delenda est". Tom - 15/09/2009 05:04:05 AM 877 Views
It's infuriating, yes. *NM* Ghavrel - 15/09/2009 06:22:36 PM 411 Views
Mea culpa; the book in question is Zoch's Ancient Rome. Ghavrel - 15/09/2009 06:45:22 PM 810 Views
Re: Non-Fiction survey Vodalus - 15/09/2009 01:07:13 AM 939 Views
I did a survey about personal libraries, too... Tom - 15/09/2009 05:01:12 AM 888 Views
great survey. Avendesora - 15/09/2009 02:17:26 AM 1162 Views
Re: great survey. Tom - 15/09/2009 04:56:50 AM 945 Views
Interesting questions! Sophy - 15/09/2009 07:20:05 AM 1070 Views
I'm not sure if it's a translation issue, but Tom - 17/09/2009 03:10:49 PM 958 Views
That's the English titel yes! Sophy - 18/09/2009 07:03:45 AM 1162 Views
Re: Non-Fiction survey Jonielle - 15/09/2009 11:35:48 AM 1191 Views
Try reading something new you think you'd like and post a review! *NM* Tom - 17/09/2009 03:11:47 PM 361 Views
Books on Napoleon.... Napoleon62 - 15/09/2009 08:03:55 PM 892 Views
Narcissist. *NM* Craig - 15/09/2009 08:21:44 PM 374 Views
David Chandler's The Campaigns of Napoleon is wonderful. *NM* Tom - 17/09/2009 03:13:03 PM 365 Views
i like non-fiction! temeraire - 15/09/2009 09:40:40 PM 951 Views
Lots of people have recommended The Omnivore's Dilemma to me *NM* Tom - 17/09/2009 03:14:09 PM 417 Views
Re: Non-Fiction survey Cockatiel of Doom - 17/09/2009 12:49:35 AM 1167 Views
Re: Non-Fiction survey ajah - 26/09/2009 01:49:16 AM 924 Views
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